Visual signal



May 28, 1929. J. L. CHANTEMERLE VI SUAL S IGNAL Filed Aug. 18, 1925 2Sheets5heet 15' g se l Chm emer/a. M?

y 23, 1929; J. L. CHANTEMERLE 1,715,278

VISUAL SIGNAL Eiled Aug. 18, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TF1 2 J6- "l'lllllllllllllzag la IF-TE:

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JOSEPH L. CHANTEMERLE, F BRONX, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 SPEREY GYROSCOPE COMPANY, INC., CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VISUAL SIGNAL.

Application filed. August 18, 1925. Serial No. 50,894.

This invention relates to visible signal interpose between the whistlevalve and the means adapted especially to be used in conmixing chamber asecondary. or relay valve nection with air operated whistles on vessels4:. Referring first to Figs. 2 and 5, said 55 without steam whistles,such as motor ships, valve is shown in the form of a piston 5 5 motorboats and submarines. Means have mounted withinthecylinder 6 and havingaheretofore been proposed for producing a lower reducedportion7 and anupper reduced white cloud or smoke at the time the whistle portion 8.The pipe 3 from the whistle is cord is pulled resembling steam issuingfrom shown as entering the valve at a port 9 be- 60 a steam whistle sothat the pilots of other low or partially below the under-surface of 10ships may readily ascertain which ship in the piston 5, so that when airunder pressure the vicinity is sounding the whistle. is forced into thecylinder at that point, the

One purpose of my invention is to impiston is lifted against the forceof the spring prove upon the above type of air-operated 11 whichsurrounds the extension 8. Prob 65 whistle, and more particularly toimprove erably the stem 7 has a loose fit in the cylinupon thetype ofcloud or smoke producing der head 12 so that in case the whistle valvemeans shown in the copending application oi 2 is, not tight the airescaping therethrough Chester B. Mills, Serial No. 739,787, filed Sepwil escape around the stem 7 without moving tember 25, 192 assigned to theassignee of the valve and without entering the mixing 70 the presentapplication. chamber.v This is a distinct advantage over Other objectsof the invention are to imthe prior type of whistle inwhich the airwasprove upon visible signalling means in ge n led directly to the mixingchamber, since in eral where an anhydrous substance, such as that typeany leak in the main whistle valve stannie or titaniumtetrachloride, ispro would cause air. to escape continuously in 75 jected into the air toproduce a cloud or the mixing'chamber and produce fumes k which wouldquickly clog up the same. When Referring to the drawings which I now thepiston 5, moving against the action of consider the preferred forms ofmy inventhe spring 11, passes the port 13, air escapes tion are showntherethrough into the pipe 15 and, from Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofone form of my: thence is discharged through the jet 16 into 7 3o smokeproducing means as connected up to the mixing chamber 17 and out of thetop an air operated whistle. oi the same at 18. The sudden admission ofFig. 2 1s a side elevation of a second form air nto the space 10suddenly compresses the of the same, partly in section. spring andiorces'the piston up to and past 85 Fig. 3 is a section through thevalve con the po'rt13. To prevent further movement of trolling the smokeproducing apparatus of the plston, I provide a rubber or other yield- Fi1, V 1ng bumper 19 on the stem v7. Said bumper is Fig. 4 is a detailview of a cap plate used shown as held thereon by a nut 20 threaded inFi 5. V

Fig. l is a vertical section of the smoke der end 12 at the upper limitof the stroke.

producing aparatus of 2. Preferably the port 13, is so located as tore-' Fig. 6 is a top plan view of thesame. duce or eliminate the shockof the bumper 19 Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the mixing striking thesaid end 12. Thisresult is ac} chamber taken at right angles to Fig. 5.complished by placing the port 18 so thatit 95 My smoke producingappartus may be conis uncovered before 19 strikes 12. This renected upto any type of air or gas operated sults in a decrease in the airpressure behind whistle, horn or other warning signal, and the piston,since the air then escapes through is shown as connected to a whistle 1of the the port 13, the result being that the spring diaphragm type.When so used. it is operated 11 slows up and practically stops thepiston 1 preferably by compressed air from the before or by the time thebumper strikes the whistle valve 3. A small pipe 3 leads from stop 12.As before stated, the air is led a point between said valve and whistleto a through the jet 16 into the mixing chamber smokeproducingapparatus. Preferably I g Said chamber s located directly aboveon the end of thestem and strikes the cylin I the tank 22 containing thecloud producing liquid. Preferably but a single liquid is employed,which when the fumes therefrom are ejected into the air, produces-acloud.

Chamber 17 is shown as connected to container 22 by pipe 23. Adjacentthe bottom of the container or top of the pipe is placed a thin disc2iwith a small aperture 25-therein. Said disc is shown as held in place byspring clip 26 and is for the purpose of preventing the formation ofencrustations at the point where liquid enters the mixing chamber, ithaving been found that the liquid will drop back through the hole in thethin disc with out clogging the same.

In such an apparatus it is imperative to keep it tightly closed when thesmoke is not actually being produced as otherwise the air and fumesfromthe Diesel engines of the ship quickly combine with the vapors inthe chamber to form a thick deposit. For this purpose I have shown a capor closure 55 which normally fits tightly on top of the opening 18 andmay be provided with a rubber block 56 to seal the opening. Preferably Iprovide automatic means for opening said closure when the whistle isblown or when the signal is given; For this purpose I have shown the capas provided with a laterally extending arm 27 secured to the reducedportion 28 of stem 8 as by nut 30. Said extension may also be providedwith a downwardly extending skirt 29 to prevent foreign matter fromentering the top of cylinder 6, enclosing spring 11. Adjacent the top ofsaid extension 8 are also provided spiral flutes 31 which engage asquared opening 82 in the cover plate 33 of cylinder 6. By thisconstruction it will readily be apparent as the piston 5 is raised, bythe air pressure, the cap 56 will be simultaneously lifted and alsorotated without the path of emerging smoke (see F 1g. 2 and also dottedline position in F ig. 5).

The entire device may be clamped to the ships funnel as by means ofbrackets 3536. Preferably I provide a shield 37 for enclosing thecontainer 22 for the liquid. This is for the purpose of preventing toogreat variations in temperature in the liquid due to the suns rays andheat from thestack since high temperatures cause undue expansion of theliquid and also fuming. Also preferably 1 only partially till thecontainer 22 as indicated by dotted line 22" to allow suflicient airspace for expansion and contraction ofthe liquid. 7

In Figs. land 3 is shown a form of the apparatus especially adapted forsubmarines. In this instance the cap 55' is hinged at 39 to bracket 40on the side of the chamber 17.

Said hinge may be provided with an eccentric 41 to equalize the pressureof the cap on the'top of 18 of the closure. On its opposite side, saidcap is pivoted to a link 42 which is hinged to an extension 28 of pistonvalve 5. The valve mechanism in this instance is especially designed toprevent the possibility of any water getting into the system when thesubmarine is submerged. For this purpose the piston 5 does not itselfopen the valve or port 13 leading to the smoke producing apparatus butactuates an intermediate mechanism for doing so, and said valve islocated so that any water leaking past the piston will not enter thevalve but will collect at the bottom of housing 58 where it may be drawnoff by petcock 59. As shown in Fig. 8 the piston 5 is provided with adownwardly extending stem a5 having a shoulder 46 thereon and also beingprovided adjacent its lower end with an enlarged and preferably hollowcylindrical portion 47 having a collar 48 at the base thereof. Acompression" spring 11 bears at one end on said collar 48 and at theother end against the lower end 49 of the cylinder 6, thereby tending tohold the piston 5 in its lowermost position. Pivoted at 50 in housing 58is an arm or lever 51. At its inner end said arm is provided with a fork52 taking a round stem 45 and adapted to be engaged by the shoulder 46when the piston 5 is raised. At its opposite end said arm 51 engages thetop of a valve 53 which normally closes a port 13 leading into theopening 54 connected to pipe 15 which leads to the smoke mixing chamber17. Said valve is shown as normally closed by spring 55 but is openedwhen struck by arm 51. When the whistle valve is opened, therefore, airenters the housing 58 and cylinder 6 through the pipe 3 raising piston 5upwardly against the spring until the shoulder 46 strikes the fork 52thereby rotating thearm 51 and opening valve 53. This permits the air toflow through channel 56 and port 13 to the mixing chamber 17. y In thisform of the apparatus also I provide an extra tank 60'connected to theliquid container 22" by pipe 61. Said tank is for the purpose ofallowing free expansion of the liquid in the container 22' so thattheliquid will not push up through the pipe 23 and into the mixingchamber owing to the temperature variations. In accordance with theprovisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the principleand operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I nowconsider to represent the best embodiment there of, but I desire to haveit understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrativeand that theinvention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designedto use the various features and elements in the combination andrelations described. some of these may be altered and others omittedwithout interfering with the more general results out lined, and theinvention extends to such use. Having described my invention,-what Icompressed air, a primary valve for control ling said source to operatesaid signal, and an antomatically-operated secondary valve be-' tweensaid primary valve and said et.

2. A smoke signal comprlsmg a container for the fluid which when thevapor thereof is entrained in air produces smoke, a mixing chamberconnected thereto, an air jet therein for entraining the vapor, a sourceof air under pressure connected to the said jet, a primary valve forcontrolling said source to operate said signal, and a pressure-operatedsec ondary valve between said primary valve and said jet.

3. A smoke signal comprising a container for the fluid which when thevapor thereof is entrained in air produces smoke, a. mixing chamberconnected thereto, an air jet therein for entraining the vapor, a sourceof air un der pressure connected to the said jet. means for controllingsaid source to actuate said signal, a closure for said chamber, meansfor normally maintaining the same closed, and a piston for opening saidclosure on actuation of the signal.

4. A smoke signal comprising a container for the fluid which when thevapor thereof is entrained in air produces smoke. a mixing chamberconnected thereto, an air jet therein for entraining the vapor, a sourceof air under pressure connected to the'said jet, a primary valve forcontrolling said source to operate said signal, a closure for saidchamber, means for normally maintaining the same closed. andpressure-operated means between said valve and jet for opening saidclosure on actuation of the valve.

5. A smoke signal comprising a container for the fluid which when thevapor thereof is entrained in air produces smoke, a mixing chamberconnected thereto, an air jet therein for entraining the vapor, a sourceof air under pressure connected to the said jet,

means for controlling said source to actuate said signal. a closure forsaid chamber, means for normally maintaining the same closed, and apiston for opening said closure and moving it outside the path of theissuing smoke upon actuation of the signal.

6. A smoke signal comprising a container for the smoke producingsubstance, a mixing chamber above said container and connected thereto,an air jet therein for entraining the vapor from said substance, asource of air under pressure connected to the said jet, a valve forcontrolling said source, a dischaving an aperture therein located in theconnection between said container and jet for the purpose specified,anda split ring for holding said disc in place.

7 A visual signal including a whistle, a whistle valve, meansfor leadingoff a portion of the air used in operating the same, a visiblesignalling means operated by said air, and a relay valve between saidwhistle valve and means, said relay valve having a slow leak for thepurpose specified.

8. A smoke signal comprising a smoke producing fluid, a mixing chamber,an air et therein for entraining the vapor from said fluid, a source ofair under pressure, I

means including a control valve for connecting said source to saidjet, aprimary valve for operating said signal, and a pressure-operatedsecondary valve between said primary valve and said jet, said secondaryvalve having a slow leak for the purpose specified.

9 In a visual signal, a relay valve for controlling the production ofthe visible signal, said valve comprising a cylinder, a piston therein,a stop to limit the piston movement, I

a spring for normallyholding said piston in one position, an inlet portto one side of the piston, and an outlet port normally closed by saidpiston, the latter port being so positioned as to be uncovered by saidpiston in time to reduce the piston speed before it strikes the stop. 7

10. A smoke signal comprising a'smoke producing fluid, a mixing chamber,a closure therefor, an air jet therein for entraining the vapor fromsaid fluid, a source of air under pressure means connecting'said sourceto said et, a primary valve 1n said last-named means for operating saldslgnal, and an automatically operated secondary valve between saidprimar'y'valve and said jet, said secondary valve also serving to opensaid closure. l v s 11. A smoke signal comprisingthe combination withthe source of compressed air, of a smoke producing fluid, amixi'ngchamher, an air jet therein for entrainingfthe vapor of saidsmoke-producing fluid, a source of air under pressure, means including acontrolling valve for connecting 'said source to said jet, a closure forsaid chamber, means for normally maintaining the same closed, a pistonconnected to said closure governed by said air under pressure, and aconnection between saidpiston and closure to open the latter onactuation of the former.

. 12. A smoke signal comprising the combination with the source ofcompressed air,

of a smoke-producing fluid, a mixing ehamher, an air jet therein forentraining' the vapor of said smoke-producing fluid, a closure for saidchamber, means for normally maintaining the same closed, a pistonconnected to said closure governed by said air under pressure, and aconnect-ion between said piston and closure to open the latter andmounted in the exposed position on the ship, rotate it Without the pathof the smoke on and a heat shield around said container for actuation ofthe former. the purpose specified. 10 13. In a visual signal for motorships, the In testimony whereof I have aflixed my combination With asubstance Which fumes signature. 1 when exposed to air, of a containerfor said substance, both of which are adapted to be JOSEPH L. GHANTEMERLE.

